Camille Souter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Camille Souter
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Souter beside a sculpture by her son Tim Morris
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| Born |
Betty Pamela Holmes
1929 Northampton, England
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| Died | 3 March 2023 (aged 93–94) Dublin, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Known for | Abstract landscapes |
| Style | Expressionist |
| Spouse(s) |
Frank Morris
(m. 1960; died 1970) |
| Elected | Aosdána 1981 |
Camille Souter (born Betty Pamela Holmes; 1929 – 3 March 2023) was an important Irish artist. She was born in Britain but grew up in Ireland. Camille Souter was known for her abstract and landscape paintings. She lived and worked on Achill Island for many years. She was also a special member, called a Saoi, of a group for Irish artists called Aosdána.
Early Life and Art Beginnings
Camille Souter was born Betty Pamela Holmes in Northampton, England, in 1929. She was raised in Ireland. Camille went to Glengara Park School in Dún Laoghaire. She first trained to be a nurse in London.
Camille started painting after taking art classes. This happened while she was recovering from an illness on the Isle of Wight. Even though she mostly taught herself, she also learned sculpture in Dublin in 1950. She was taught by Yann Renard-Goulet. Camille finished her nursing studies in 1952. But she soon decided to focus on painting instead. In 1953, she started exploring paint after visiting Italy. Some early supporters of her art included Basil Goulding and Gordon Lambert.
Her Family Life
Camille's nickname "Camille" was given to her by her first husband, Gordon Souter. He was an actor. They married in 1953 and had a daughter. They separated in 1955.
Later, Camille married sculptor Frank Morris in 1960. They moved to Enniskerry, County Wicklow. They had four children together. Frank Morris passed away in 1970.
Camille Souter died on 3 March 2023, in Dublin. She was at her daughter Natasha's home.
Her Art Career
Camille Souter had her first art show in Dublin in 1956. The next year, another gallery in Dublin showed her paintings. These included oils, gouache, and monotypes. In 1958, her works were shown at the New Vision Gallery in London. She also won a scholarship that allowed her to return to Italy for a year.
In 1961, Camille Souter represented Ireland at the Paris Biennal. This was an important art event. In 1965, her art was shown alongside Barrie Cooke's at the Ulster Museum. She also had eight works in another Belfast gallery. These included paintings like Northern Plains (Winter).
In 1971, four of Camille's paintings were part of a big exhibition. It was called The Irish Imagination 1959-1971. This show was first in Dublin. Then it traveled to Washington to share Irish culture. Camille won several awards for her art. These included the Gainey Award in 1975. She also won the Grand Prix International de l'Art Contemporain de Monte Carlo in 1977.
Camille Souter painted many different things. She painted landscapes, still lifes, and even slaughterhouses. A writer named Vona Groarke described Camille's paintings. She said they had an "elegant" feel. She also noted that Camille found beauty even in simple things like silage bags.
Camille often showed her art at important Irish exhibitions. These included the Irish Exhibition of Living Art and the Independent Artists shows. She won the Landscape Prize in 1973. Her painting Over the Bog (from 1962) was owned by the Bank of Ireland. In 2008, the bank donated it to the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
Her work was featured in special shows. The Douglas Hyde Gallery held a look back at her art in 1980. The Royal Hibernian Academy did the same in 2001.
Camille Souter received many more awards. She won the Tony O'Malley award in 1998. In 2000, she got the Distinguished Career Award from the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Trinity College Dublin gave her an honorary doctorate in 2015. She was chosen as a Saoi of Aosdána in 2008. She had first joined Aosdána in 1981.
Camille Souter lived and created her art on Achill Island. Her paintings are in many public and private collections. You can see her work in places like the National Gallery of Ireland. They are also in the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery and the Ulster Museum. The Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Arts Council of Ireland also have her art.
